Morton Pickford
Morton Pickford (Also known as Marsbury Swain) was a pirate and former Dupont Company crewman that played an integral part in the Elusian Civil War, as well as the entire career of Hartford's Hazards. As the crew's Man of Coins, Pickford was in charge of managing the day-to-day operations of the pirates, as well as draw up Rutters for Dupont shipment raids using the secret of the Dupont Captain's Ledger: Elusia. As the first of Hollis Calloway's co-conspirators, and the longest-serving first mate in the organizations, Morton's involvement in the machinations of the Hazards can not be overstated. Early Life Morton was born the son of Dalvan Pickford, a businessman of some esteem in the outskirts of the City of Southpoint. After considerable schooling, Morton was accepted into the Dupont Registrar's Academy, and was trained in the arts of bookkeeping, management and strategic planning. While in the city, he became acquainted with Hollis Calloway, third son of John Calloway, Lord of Letch. The pair became fast friends, and were soon sailing upon the same vessel in the Dupont Navy, the Blue Duchess of St. Michel. Hollis named Morton his first mate, and build a successful and renowned career with him at his side. Morton was also present for Hollis' undoing, at The Great Embarrassment in the port of Key Malino. After Hollis was found guilty of gross negligence for letting a con artist make off with Henri Dupont's prized flag ship, Morton was assigned to accompany him throughout his demotion. Evidently, the men in Southpoint had kept the portly and un-sailorlike PIckford by Hollis' side as a sort of checks and balances, to ensure that his more impulsive qualities were kept at bay. Judging by Morton's absence throughout the process of The Great Embarrassment, it was determined that he too shared a portion of the blame. For an indeterminate amount of time, Hollis and Morton were to remain on Dupont colonial vessels as "invited guests," with no responsibilities or opportunities for glory or promotion. Arrival in the Elusians On one of many uneventful journeys through the Outer Rim, Morton's ship was attacked by a crew of pirates of the Black Hills Gang. The Dupont vessel was scuttled, leaving few survivors and marooning Morton and Hollis on the uninhabited Stinkfruit Island. It was there that the two of them decided to fake their deaths, turn pirate and seek revenge against the company that had stripped them of their ranks and left them for dead. Morton's role in the scheme was to use a misprinted Dupont Captain's Ledger: Elusia Edition to predict the locations and dates of incoming Dupont shipments, allowing Hollis and his men to successfully ambush supply ships to and from the Elusian Isles. Armed with Morton's information an a rotating cast of misfit pirates, the crew that would come to be known as The Hazards enjoyed a great run of success in piracy. Shortly after the crew's founding, Hollis named Morton one of his two first mates, along with the seasoned pirate Jean-Luc "Grenouille" Etoufette. Morton would be Man of Coins, the bookkeeper, administrator and manager of the crew, while Man of War Grenouille would handle the training and command of the crew's sailors. Early in the arrangement, there was significant friction between the two first mates. Morton saw Grenouille as untrustworthy and foolish, while Grenouille viewed Morton's perspective as unambitious, cowardly and lazy. Over time, the two came to an understanding, though they still had their spats. Until Grenouille's death at the Siege of Fort Etoufette, Morton would remain one of two right-hand men to Captain Calloway. The Hazards, and the Kalu Alliance Morton was a valuable adviser to Hollis throughout his rise to power, consulting with him on matters of diplomacy, strategy and business. He was present throughout the Hazards' struggles during their time at Fort Etoufette, and helped guide them through their predicament at the Sixteenth Baronsmoot, at Ridley's Bilge. Once Hollis had become baron of the East, Morton coordinated with Victor Hansen, Hito Nodaga and Jonathan Skarlocke in working with the other crews of ShatterShore, working to promote stability in a region fraught with in-fighting, competition and civil war. Morton was an early critic of Hollis' partnership with Sheng Chi of the Tong, along with the rest of the Captain's advisers. During that time, Hollis made many decisions unilaterally, bringing the crew more than once into the path of danger. Though Morton complained about Hollis shirking the advice of his men, he was also a vocal opponent of Hollis' more democratic methods, exemplified in the ill-fated vote for their incorporation into the Mcnatty Fleet.